Monday, February 21, 2011

Pear almond yogurt cake

I am a woman of simple cakes. I spent a month in 2010 focused on cake decorating (in preparation for Kelly Ripa's Cake-Off for a Cause, where I rolled fondant with 14 other food bloggers and Buddy "The Cake Boss" Valastro), but despite private lessons and lots of practice on my own, I never really got the cake decorating bug. Truthfully, I prefer my cakes plain, even a little ugly.

This pear cake with ground almonds is a perfect example of the kind of cake I love. It's based on a traditional French yogurt cake, which I've made with lots of variations (lime yogurt cake, chocolate yogurt cake, almond pomegranate yogurt cake, limoncello cake). Grated pears keep the cake moist, and ground almonds add both flavor and texture. It takes 10 minutes to put together, 45 minutes or so in the oven, half an hour to cool enough to cut. Will it win any beauty contests? No. But when I've got a hot cup of tea and a slice of this pear almond cake for breakfast, I'm not looking.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, yogurt, oil, granulated sugar and almond extract. Add the grated pears and stir to combine.

In a smaller bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in the ground almonds, making sure to break up any clumps.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and blend with a large spoon or spatula just until everything is incorporated. Turn the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the raw sugar. Bake 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes, then turn the cake out onto the rack to finish cooling.

Pairing almonds and pears sounds like a good combination. I also like 'plain, ugly' cakes. Will try it and some of your other cake recipes soon. Question - did you ever bake it in a 6 cup bundt pan? I'm a big fan of them and I think this cake will work well in it.

@Mark - you like to bake with your boys? Me too. Mine are a little older, though (12 and 9). Let me know how you all like it. And, um, don't let them grate the pears. Even I have a hard time doing that without getting my knuckles involved!

Sometimes I crave a slice of simple cake...sounds like this would be perfect, and with a nice cup of coffee or tea, especially in the fall or winter.I'm guessing the raw sugar goes on right before you bake it? Thanks!

Smile. I loved reading this. Like you, I prefer my cakes on the homelier side. I adore pear cakes, and I am eager to give yours a try. Thank you for sharing such a tempting treat! I hope you are doing well. Stay warm and enjoy the end of your week!